Centara Hotels & Resorts and Luxemon Hotel Group have signed an MoU that will enable both companies to accelerate the growth of their respective brands within China and South-east Asia.
For Thailand-based Centara, the partnership will support its goal of becoming a top 100 global hotel operator within five years.
Centara Hotels & Resorts and Luxemon Hotel Group partner to grow their respective brands in China and South-east Asia; Beijing City pictured
The MoU, which was signed in a ceremony attended by Markland Blaiklock, deputy CEO of Centara Hotels & Resorts, and Liang Xiao Jing, CEO of Luxemon Hotel Group, will focus on brand cooperation.
“For decades, our two countries have enjoyed a warm friendship with strong bilateral trade relations. China has been a priority market for future growth and our new partnership with Luxemon Hotel Group represents a significant step forward for Centara,” said Blaiklock.
Liang added: “I am confident that together we can contribute to the development of tourism between China and Thailand and the hotel industry.”
Sigur Rós, one of Iceland’s most successful acts of all time – with six number ones in their home country and a trio of Platinum albums globally – will bring their World Tour 2022 to Singapore on August 17, 2022 at The Star Theatre.
Tickets for the concert are now on sale, and are priced from S$98 (US$69.70) for a standard seat.
Sigur Rós will perform in Singapore on August 17, 2022 at The Star Theatre
Ticket holders can also purchase admission to the Pre-Show Party at The Star Space Room, where quick bites and drinks can be enjoyed from 18.00 to 20.00 ahead of the performance.
Tickets to the Pre-Show Party are priced at S$150 per person and includes six drink coupons, finger food and a commemorative lanyard and pass that allows access to and from the private Pre-Show Hospitality Suite at The Star Theatre.
The new profile of Mindful Explorers – defined as people who seek to contribute to regenerative and sustainable means of tourism – will find fulfilling days in Singapore. The destination has set off a tourism strategy that is resulting in holistic and sustainable visitor experiences across all aspects and touchpoints of the journey.
Cherie Lee, director, strategic planning and incentive policy, policy and planning group with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), told TTG Asia that the country is transforming into a sustainable urban destination – a City in Nature, where large experiences come with small footprints.
South-east Asia’s first-ever gamified electric Go-Kart circuit, HyperDrive, will open its doors next year (Photo: Shangri-La Group)
She explained: “This vision differentiates Singapore from other sustainable destinations, by making us a destination where it is fun to travel sustainably, and where post-pandemic travellers can rest and recharge with complete peace of mind.”
Indeed, from how they play and what they eat, to where they stay, eco-conscious travellers can go green all the way.
Minimal carbon footprint does not mean minimal fun, as HyperDrive is determined to show. Said to be South-east Asia’s first-ever gamified electric Go-Kart circuit, HyperDrive will open its doors next year to racing enthusiasts. Housed within Shangri-La Group’s first standalone lifestyle and entertainment precinct, Palawan Sands on Sentosa, the attraction spotlights an impressive eco-friendly fleet of electric karts. The zero-emission vehicles run smoothly and quietly without noise pollution.
Speed demons zipping around the three-level indoor track have the option to level up their racing experience with a “Game of Karts” that will transport them into the realm of virtual gaming.
Drivers can also turbo-charge their racing experience or sabotage competitors within an interactive experience heightened with light and sound effects, revealed a Shangri-La spokesperson.
Meanwhile, outdoorsy travellers will be heartened to know they are doing their part to protect wildlife every time they visit the parks at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. The reserve’s steward, Mandai Wildlife Group, commits a portion of its revenue to support conservation projects in Singapore and across South-east Asia.
Mandai Wildlife Group is also actively striving to further reduce absolute emissions to achieve its aim of becoming a carbon neutral precinct by 2024.
Visitors in awe of the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay may be delighted to know that these mega structures are more than just photography landmarks. They act as air venting ducts for nearby conservatories, dispersing heat. Seven of the Supertrees are fitted with solar photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into energy.
In fact, the popular horticultural attraction houses over 1.5 million plants in its gardens to help offset carbon dioxide in the city.
Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay are embedded with sustainable features, of which seven are solar photovoltaic systems
For more green draws, eco-conscious tourists can hop on the guided Pulau Ubin Island Bike Tour, where they will discover various flora and fauna across the rural island and learn about the mangrove ecosystem at Chek Jawa Wetlands – all that on a sustainable vehicle no less.
Sustainable tourism spills into arts spaces here in Singapore. When art aficionados visit the iconic lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, they are supporting an environmentally-conscious infrastructure. The museum is the first in the Asia-Pacific to obtain the LEED Gold certification. Its key green features include infiltration of natural daylight into the interior and a Rain Oculus which recycles nearly 1.4 million litres of rainwater annually.
What is destination discovery without food? In Singapore, sustainable dining options can feed guilt-free indulgences.
Open Farm Community is Singapore’s pioneering urban farm and restaurant concept, Michelin-starred Labyrinth spotlights local produce, and Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong sources fresh seafood from local kelongs and farms.
Getting a tipple can quench green thirst too. At eco-friendly bar, Graft, a series of cocktails, beers and mocktails are on draft, allowing customers to pull by hand themselves and reduces the reliance on manpower.Drinks also come served in recycled sake, beer, and wine bottles.
Native cocktail spot takes on a zero-waste approach, deploying ants and fermented grasshoppers in its drink-making process.
At plant-based resto-bar, Analogue, guests can even shop for sustainable furniture.
With plenty of sustainable accommodation options in Singapore, Mindful Explorers can rest assured of a responsible stay. Many eco-conscious hotels are partially powered by solar energy, their single-use plastics replaced by reusuable alternatives, have food waste processes as well as energy-efficient systems.
For instance, Singapore’s first garden-in-a-hotel, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore, places travellers amid lush foliage that operates as natural purifiers and sinks for carbon dioxide. The eco-friendly hotel is home to one of the largest urban farms in the city-state, providing 20 per cent of the hotel’s food supply. With more than 60 varieties of vegetables, herbs, fruits and edible flowers, the urban farm forms the backbone of the hotel’s farm-to-table, farm-to-bar, and farm-to-spa concepts, reducing both the hotel’s dependence on the food supply chain and carbon footprint, according to general manager, Melvin Lim.
Gino Tan, country general manager, The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, said the recently-revamped Fullerton Farm, located at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, also features a wide variety of herbs and spices which are used by its chefs for creative dishes, cocktails and garnishes.
Hotel guests can savour a pure vegan menu – made from the farm’s fresh organic produce – by ordering the plant-based Afternoon Tea set, available at The Courtyard at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore as well as The Landing Point at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore.
Sustainable stay experiences are increasingly extending beyond the hotel’s confines, through curated learning opportunities. Complimentary Fullerton Farm Tours, led by an experienced horticulturist, for example, invite hotel guests to learn about biodiversity.
Resorts World Sentosa’s new RWS EcoTrail provides guests a behind-the-scenes look at the integrated resort’s sustainability highlights, such as its 29,000m² forest, solar photovoltaic system, and herb garden.
Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore is now looking to extend its well-received guided tours to a wider audience, like corporate guests.
Lim said: “This would not only showcase the sustainability aspects of the hotel, but also reassure corporate organisations that their choice of accommodation supplier and event venue partner contributes to making their own value ecosystem a sustainable one.”
The latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer recorded a 182 per cent year-on-year increase in international tourism for the January-March 2022 period, with destinations everywhere welcoming some 117 million international arrivals compared to 41 million in 1Q2021. In March alone, there were 47 million arrivals.
But you don’t need the stats to know that travel recovery is gaining pace. Airports, hotel lobbies, attractions and restaurants are bustling again. My social media feed in the last two months has been bursting at the seams with photos and videos of friends getting back on the road for meetings, events, family reunions and leisure retreats. It is fabulous.
Travel and tourism stakeholders everywhere have been preparing for this recovery, even as soon as lockdowns were ordered in 2020. Whatever goes down must come up, and it has been reported time and again that businesses have made good use of the travel disruption to review and evolve their operations so that they can hit the ground running once Covid red tapes are removed.
However, even the most well-prepared business owner is fighting a tough battle now to rebuild his team – a challenge that exists in our industry pre-pandemic and has only intensified since many have left their roles and even the industry for good. In an employee’s market, wages have gone up and HR must do much more to retain staff, thus adding to the mounting cost pressure on businesses everywhere.
Travellers today will find that travel isn’t as smooth as they last remembered. Queues to check in luggage or clear immigration are getting longer and moving slower. Delayed hotel check-ins are common, and daily housekeeping may take a little longer to complete. On board flights and at restaurants and attractions, it takes a little more effort to get some assistance.
Tempers are short and complaints are flying fast across social media. Such experiences cast a shadow over businesses’ warm welcome for returning travellers and customers, which is unfortunate because we, in this industry, know how earnestly we have pined for recovery.
It is now a test of patience for both the customer and business operator, and the latter has to find an acceptable balance between digitising processes for efficiency and keeping the promise of hospitality through human touch.
In recent interviews with hospitality leaders, hirers and a hospitality educator, the consensus is that the talent shortage now is an opportunity for travel and tourism businesses to revamp their employment terms and expand career opportunities for their staff.
An improved public perception of service as a career is important. By sending a louder and more positive message about the value of service and the career prospects it brings, the industry will also impress upon consumers that – in the words of Arthur Kiong, CEO of Far East Hospitality – service is not servitude but a respectable passion.
Monaco is shaking off its post-lockdown cobwebs, and is ready to welcome the Asian leisure market after two years with refreshed products and the promise of a luxurious European adventure.
During the pandemic, notable areas such as the Casino Square and Larvotto Beach were given facelifts, while the Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco Yacht Show, and Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival are once again mainstays in Monaco’s busy yearly calendar.
Port Hercule in Monaco (Photo: Benjamin Vergely)
To attract more tourists, Benoit Badufle, managing director of the Promotion Bureau of the Principality of Monaco, shared: “We have also rolled out a series of thematic trips ranging from a friends getaway to gastronomic adventures to appeal to the leisure market.”
That is why Charlotte Harris, managing director of Charlotte Travel, a Hong Kong-based travel agency affiliated with Virtuoso, believes that Monaco will continue to appeal to her clients.
“I think Monaco tourism is doing a great job promoting the many attractive events in the region. Many of our clients are drawn by the unique events and plan their trips around these dates. Monaco is also full of exceptional hotels and high-end boutiques.”
This positive sentiment is echoed by Julia Lai, general manager for Kuoni Tumlare in Malaysia.
“Monaco has always been on the bucket list for travellers. Aside from having an elegant vibe, tourists are curious how such a country with a low population can sustain high living standards and an elegant lifestyle.”
Local hoteliers are eager to promote to various Asian markets, building onto their current sales strategy that in the past two years was largely focused on European markets.
Jesus Scott, director of sales, Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo, said: “We know that travellers in Asia, especially China, are eager to travel abroad. We will focus our actions on the niche market of HNWI living in Asian capitals, as well as the first-tier cities in China, as there is great potential there.”
For Fairmont Monte Carlo’s director of leisure sales, Koji Ito, the hotel is already welcoming FITs from India, and package tours from Malaysia and Thailand.
However, one of the largest challenges in selling Monaco to the Asian jetset is air connectivity.
“We used to have more Middle Eastern and European carriers flying from South-east Asia to Nice (in France, the main gateway to Monaco), but not all flights have resumed their routes, and therefore capacity is affected,” Lai shared.
To welcome more Asian travellers, Scott pointed out, the “regular airlift to Europe” has to be restored, for example, the direct Air China flight between Beijing and Nice pre-pandemic.
To keep the travel industry abreast of Monaco’s happenings, Badufle shared that “in-person reconnections” with key travel partners, tour operators, agencies, and media in the region are currently happening, having recently visited Indonesia and South Korea.
Ongoing infrastructure projects include the waterfront eco-district Mareterra set for completion in 2025, while the extension of the Grimaldi Forum convention and exhibition centre will finish in 2024.
Looking ahead, Monaco’s Exotic Garden – first opened in 1933 – will reopen in 2023 after a two-year renovation that will enhance its botanical and cultural aspects, as well as offer improved accessibility.
Meanwhile, Monte-Carlo’s iconic Café de Paris – temporarily located within the Hotel de Paris – will also reopen in 2023 after a two-year uplift, which will raise the current brasserie by two floors, as well as introduce a unique rooftop space.
Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo will also undergo its next phase of renovations, with its restaurant expected to open in spring 2023, and renovated guestrooms in October 2023.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has forecasted international visitor arrivals (IVA) to be between four to six million visitors this year, following the city’s reopening of its borders on April 1, 2022,
In 1H2022, Singapore clocked 1.5 million visitor arrivals, nearly 12 times more compared to the same period in 2021 (119,000), and tourism receipts (TR) reached an estimated S$1.3 billion (US$925.7 million) in 1Q2022. While IVA and TR remain a fraction of Singapore’s pre-pandemic numbers, STB remains optimistic that tourism flows will recover to pre-Covid levels by 2025.
Singapore Tourism Board remains optimistic that tourism flows will recover to pre-Covid levels by 2025
STB’s chief executive Keith Tan said that the numbers signal “strong pent-up demand”, and underscores Singapore’s continued appeal as a destination. He remains confident that Singapore’s “rich calendar of events, as well as new and refreshed tourism offerings, will continue to attract visitors for the rest of 2022 and beyond”.
Singapore’s top five international visitor-generating markets, accounting for 56 per cent of total IVA from January to June 2022, came from Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Australia and the Philippines. Registering the largest absolute year-on-year growth were Indonesia, India and Malaysia.
The Republic currently boasts a healthy roster of events such as Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022, Tour de France Singapore Criterium, Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and Sail Grand Prix in 2023.
Fresh offerings like Hell’s Museum at Haw Par Villa, the Museum of Ice Cream, SkyHelix Sentosa, and the Avatar: The Experience at Gardens by the Bay later this year are also set to attract more visitors.
Katrina Group has named Andreas Lorenz as chief operating officer for its hospitality subsidiary, in a move aimed at rekindling the company’s accommodation business.
In his new role, he will oversee ST Hospitality’s operations while spearheading its expansion in Singapore and beyond, including identifying new properties to manage.
The German joined the company in February this year as general manager of ST Hospitality, Katrina Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary.
ST Hospitality operates four boutique co-living hotels, a block of serviced apartments comprising 38 units, and more than 50 fully serviced condominium rental units in Singapore. It expects to add more fully serviced condo units and hotel rooms to its portfolio in Singapore before the end of the year.
Before joining ST Hospitality, Lorenz was vice-president of asset management at The Garcha Group. Prior to that, he managed two hotels in Singapore – Six Senses Maxwell and Six Senses Duxton – from 2017 to 2019.
KKday has secured funding in a Series C+ round, bringing the total Series C round raised to US$95 million. Led by major tech Asia private equity firm TGVest Capital to accelerate technology, the injection will be used to expand KKday’s team globally, and deepen its domestic footprint, particularly in markets where there is a focus on domestic travel and tech innovation to meet the increasing demands of OTAs and local merchants.
KKday’s chief executive officer and founder Ming Chen said: “We remain steadfast in our value proposition on providing unique hyperlocal experiences to travellers who are becoming more digital.
KKday has plans to scale and build new rezio features to automate and streamline solutions for merchants
“Hyperlocalisation and digitisation will be our north star for scaling and building our user and merchant base. Over the past year, we have laid the groundwork and seen our domestic travel business growing steadily in key markets like Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, and South-east Asia.”
Claire Lai, managing director, TGVest Capital said: “With this funding round, KKday will be in a strong position to capture market share and value as travel continues to reopen and digital transformation continues to be a long-term trend.”
KKday has plans to aggressively hire across regions and roles including software engineers, R&D, business development and operations, and marketing, as well as scale and build new rezio features to automate and streamline solutions for merchants.
As borders reopen, the company also plans to relaunch its in-demand owned and operated signature tours to provide travellers with curated quality local experiences.
Mount Faber Leisure Group (MFLG) is set to debut this September a new cluster of F&B and entertainment that will give beach goers an enhanced experience from day to night in the heart of Sentosa’s beach district.
The Central Beach Bazaar, located between the popular Palawan and Siloso beaches and at the foot of Beach Station, will take in the 80-metre high Sentosa SkyJet, said to be the tallest fountain in South-east Asia; a revival of the iconic Sentosa Musical Fountain from the early 1980s but now with a new musical score; and the International Food Street, a collection of eight F&B street food concepts presented through food trucks, kombi vans and upcycled shipping containers.
The Central Beach Bazaar will join the Wings of Time outdoor night show with upgrades like refreshed pyrotechnic effects
Sentosa visitors can enjoy the Musical Fountain and Sentosa SkyJet up close in the day with a minimum spend of S$5 (US$3.55) at the International Food Street. The Musical Fountain comprises two five-minute performances – one with musical numbers that the attraction used to play in the 1990s, and the other a medley of the nation’s beloved National Day songs like Home and Count on me Singapore.
The Central Beach Bazaar will join the Wings of Time outdoor night show, an established attraction in the beach district that has been upgraded recently with refreshed pyrotechnic effects and a more spectacular finale.
A third new attraction, to be revealed at a later time, will offer simulation ride experiences and carnival games.
Thien Kwee Eng, CEO of Sentosa Development Corporation, said in a press statement: “The Central Beach Bazaar is a key milestone in the series of new leisure experiences coming onstream along Sentosa’s beaches. Together with the upcoming Palawan Sands and other novel offerings, the Central Beach Bazaar will give our guests a reimagined beach experience.”
According to Buhdy Bok, managing director of MFLG, the Central Beach Bazaar is one of the visitor experience innovations that were developed during the travel disruption.
In an interview with TTG Asia ahead of the press launch, Bok said MFLG had continued to invest in product development even during “the toughest period” when the pandemic had impacted international travel
He said: “Our approach was to remain mindful of the situation while still planning ahead. Six months ago, we opened SkyHelix Sentosa, which was also planned for and built during the pandemic.”
Bok said international visitorship has been on the mend since Singapore established the Vaccinated Travel Lanes in September 2021.
“There is a sizeable return of tourists, mostly from the region, but we are nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. This will take time, as our recovery is dependent on how airlift and airport operations are being rebuilt,” he said.
However, he has refrained from projecting visitorship to Sentosa, saying that it is “no longer possible to give a very long forecast these days due to so many unknowns”. A three-month outlook is more realistic, he said, adding that his team continues to be “very aggressive” with development and marketing while staying “practical and nimble” to face any situations that present themselves.
In response to TTG Asia’s question on how MLFG is dealing with the hospitality industry’s prevalent labour shortage, Bok said it is still actively recruiting while tweaking operations to minimise pressure on the existing team. Measures include adjusting menus, automating some food preparation processes, and outsourcing some functions.
“These changes will be permanent, as Singapore will always be operating in a tight labour situation so businesses will have to be more efficient with available resources,” he concluded.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) through Tourism Malaysia has launched the Tourism Recovery Plan 2022 (PRE2.0) for the Accommodation Cluster in an effort to boost domestic tourism as it transitions to the endemic phase.
The Tourism Recovery Plan 2022, which is a continuation of the Economic Stimulus Package, is one of the initiatives under the Tourism Industry Recovery Plan which involves the distribution of incentives to Malaysians in the form of discounts, vouchers and rebates.
Nancy: this initiative aims to attract Malaysian families to continue booking hotel rooms at discounted prices
Under the Accommodation Cluster, an estimated 33,830 Malaysians have the opportunity to redeem e-vouchers worth RM50 (US$11) to RM100 through the purchase of hotel accommodation online.
From July 15 to December 31, 2022, each person can make up to three redemptions for hotels throughout Malaysia under the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), the Malaysian Association Hotel Owners (MAHO), the Malaysia Budget & Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) and Rangkaian Hotel Seri Malaysia (RHSM).
Minister of tourism, arts and culture, Nancy Shukri, said the launch of this initiative aims to attract the Malaysian public, especially families, to continue booking hotel rooms at discounted prices and subsequently implement domestic tourism activities.
She added: “The strategic co-operation established by Tourism Malaysia with these associations is aimed at stimulating the recovery of the tourism industry and thus contributing to the country’s overall economic recovery.”
MAH and MAHO will offer e-vouchers worth RM100 with a minimum purchase value of RM150 for the earliest 19,900 buyers while MyBHA will offer e-vouchers worth RM50 with a minimum purchase value RM60 for 7,960 buyers. All e-vouchers are available on the Shopee app.
RHSM is offering a rebate of RM50 with a minimum purchase value of RM170 (standard room) or RM210 (family room) for the first 5,970 buyers.
The German joined the company in February this year as general manager of ST Hospitality, Katrina Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary.
